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Xcellent 25 high school boys basketball rankings

March 11, 2012 by MaxPreps, AZPreps365


File photo by Stuart Browning

University of Virginia-bound Evan Nolte helped No. 3 Milton (Ga.) win 110 games and started in four state title contests during his run with the Eagles.

Call it the "Dynasty Edition" of the Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard.

Several nationally-ranked teams capped impressive multi-year runs with state titles over the weekend, including No. 2 Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas). The Marauders beat then-No. 15 Fort Bend Travis (Richmond) for their second-straight Class 5A state title, capping a remarkable three-year run with a record of 114-6.

A loss by top-ranked St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) seems improbable at this point, likely resulting in Marcus finishing No. 2 behind the Friars in back-to-back seasons. No. 4 Simeon (Chicago) could still make a push in the rankings, but keep in mind that Marcus played Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) to the wire in early December while the Chicago school was handed a 25-point loss by the same opponent in January.

Back to the dynasty theme, No. 3 Milton (Ga.) won its second Class AAAAA title in three years while appearing in its fourth-straight championship game over the weekend. The Eagles began the 2010-11 campaign ranked No. 2 nationally by MaxPreps but failed to win a title behind the trio of Shannon Scott (now at Ohio State), Julian Royal (Georgia Tech) and Dai-Jon Parker (Vanderbilt). They began this season unranked nationally and cruised to a state title. Go figure.

Staying in Georgia, No. 10 Columbia (Decatur) won its third-straight Class AAA state title and fifth in seven seasons under head coach Dr. Phil McCrary. The Eagles have won 44 of their last 45 games dating back to the 2010-11 campaign and are 90-9 during the current three-peat.

Louisiana Class 5A champ Scotlandville (Baton Rouge) might not quite qualify as a dynasty, but after reaching its third-straight championship game finally broke through to win a state title. The Hornets went 100-13 during that span.

Read on for a complete look at this week's rankings.

Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (No. 1 last week) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (30-0)
The Friars are two wins away from back-to-back national titles. NJSIAA Tournament of Champions play opens Friday for St. Anthony against the winner of Wednesday's Ewing-Atlantic City pairing.

2. (2) Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) (39-2)
Season complete. Class 5A state champions.

3. (3) Milton (Ga.) (28-4)
Season complete. Class AAAAA state champions.

4. (4) Simeon (Chicago) (30-1)
The Wolverines are three wins away from a state title in Illinois' 4A classification. Evanston is up next in super sectional play Tuesday.

5. (5) Chester (Pa.) (28-0)
The Clippers blew out J.P. McCaskey (Lancaster) 86-43 in the first round of the PIAA Class AAAA state tournament. Norristown will be the second-round opponent Wednesday.


6. (6) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (31-2)

Mater Dei's repeat state title bid took a hit when star senior guard Katin Reinhardt suffered a broken thumb against Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta). He is expected to miss the remainder of the season. The Monarchs beat Mission Viejo without him Saturday and face Loyola (Los Angeles) in regional semifinal action Tuesday.

7. (7) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) (32-2)
The Panthers will join No. 15 DeMatha, Benedictine (Richmond, Va.), Bishop Walsh (Cumberland, Md.), John Carroll (Bel Air, Md.), Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) and St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational in Frostburg, Md., beginning Thursday.

8. (8) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (28-4)
Season complete. Class 4A state champions.

9. (9) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) (29-4)
Season complete. Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 5A state champions.

10. (10) Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) (31-1)
Season complete. Class AAA state champions.


11. (11) Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas) (27-4)
Season complete. Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 4A state champions.

12. (12) Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) (30-0)
Aside from the other six teams remaining in the Class 4A tournament, the entire state of Illinois is pulling for a Simeon-Proviso East final – a blockbuster if it comes to fruition.

13. (13) Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) (24-0)
Next up for the Wolverines in Ohio's exhausting state tournament format is Eastmoor Academy (Columbus). A win there would get Dunbar a date with either defending Division III state champ Taft (Cincinnati) or rival Thurgood Marshall (Dayton).

14. (14) Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (30-2)
After winning Florida's Class 7A state title, the Tigers have accepted a bid to the National High School Invitational later this month in Maryland.

15. (16) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (27-5)
Three of DeMatha's five losses have come to No. 7 Paul VI. The Stags may have an opportunity for some late-season revenge against the Panthers later this week at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational.


16. (18) Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) (36-2)
Season complete. Class 5A state champions.

17. (15) Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas) (36-4)
Season complete. Class 5A state runner-up.

18. (17) Sexton (Lansing, Mich.) (22-1)
The Big Reds face Gabriel Richard (Ann Arbor) – which enters with a 9-14 record – on Monday in regional semifinal action.

19. (19) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) (24-3)
The Saints are four wins away from a state title in Pennsylvania's Class AAA. A 22-5 York Suburban (York) squad stands in the way Tuesday.

20. (20) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) (29-2)
The Jackrabbits just keep winning. Under head coach Sharrief Metoyer, Poly is 60-4 over the past two seasons and has a Tuesday date with Bullard (Fresno) in the Division I regional semifinals.


21. (21) New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.) (30-1)
Season complete. NCHSAA Class 4A state champions.

22. (22) Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) (22-3)
Season complete. Class 5A state champions.

23. (24) Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) (27-1)
Pursuing their fourth-straight state title, the Royals face Edina in a sectional championship contest Tuesday.

24. (25) Germantown (Wis.) (26-0)
After getting by De Pere, the Warhawks take on defending state champion Madison Memorial on Friday in the Division I state semifinals.

25. (NR) Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) (31-2)
The Bay Area power has won its last nine games by an average margin of 36.4 points per outing – a span that includes seven playoff contests. Salesian's only losses this season have come against No. 14 Blanche Ely (by three points) and Montverde Academy (Fla.), ranked No. 7 in the Academy Top 10 and a National High School Invitational invitee.

Dropped out: No. 23 last week St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.)